1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates, generally, to an air filter and, more particularly, to an air-filter assembly adapted to be used with a velocity stack of a carburetor of an internal-combustion engine of an automobile.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is known to try to improve performance of an internal-combustion engine of an automobile by increasing the volume (or maximizing efficiency of moving a desired volume) of an air-fuel mixture being delivered to a combustion chamber (or combustion chambers) of the engine by applying at least one air-intake velocity stack to an air-intake side of a carburetor of the engine. Such performance is improved when each velocity stack is properly shaped and sized relative to a respective area of a throat of the carburetor so that resulting air flow is maximized. The velocity stack can operate with an air filter mounted thereon. Filtration of air entering the velocity stack minimizes the amount and kind of or even prevents impurities from ultimately entering the engine.
More specifically, by adapting the shape of the velocity stack and the diameter of a throat thereof to provide for proper air flow into the carburetor, the desired volume of the air-fuel mixture ultimately moves into the chamber of the engine. To this end, the velocity stack may include an upper mouth section and a lower throat section integrally extending operatively downward from the mouth section. In operation, the mouth section is generally upside-down-bell- or V-shaped and defines an outer open end thereof designed to receive the filtered airflow directly from the air filter. The outer open end also defines a generally cross-sectionally linear (triangular) or arcuate lip designed to be mounted to the air filter such that the air filter and velocity stack can be assembled to each other. The throat section is generally cylindrical or funnel-shaped and defines the throat and an inner open end thereof designed to pass the filtered airflow directly to the carburetor. The inner open end is designed to also be mounted to the carburetor such that the velocity stack and carburetor can be assembled to each other.
By way of example only, the carburetor may employ a mounting plate used to mount the carburetor to the inner open end of the throat section of the velocity stack. The carburetor, in turn, is coupled to the engine through use of a mounting fixture. An internal throat of the mounting fixture is generally aligned with the throat section of the velocity stack to provide a consistent flow path of the filtered air from the velocity stack to the carburetor and the air-fuel mixture from the carburetor to the engine when a throttling mechanism is opened. In this way, a proper balance is provided between the shape and size of the velocity stack and the shape and size of the internal throat to achieve the desired volume of the air-fuel mixture at an adequate flow thereof (or maximum efficiency of moving the desired volume of the air-fuel mixture) being delivered to the combustion chamber (or combustion chambers) of the engine.
It should be appreciated by those having ordinary skill in the related art that each of the velocity stack, carburetor (and attendant mounting plate and fixture), and engine can be constructed in any suitable way and operate in any suitable manner and forms no part of the invention. It should be so appreciated also that the velocity stack, carburetor (and attendant mounting plate and fixture), and engine can have any suitable structural relationship with each other without departing from the structure and function of the invention. It should be so appreciated also that each of the throat of the carburetor, throat section of the velocity stack, and internal throat of the mounting fixture can have any suitable shape, size, and structure and structural relationship with the others without departing from the structure and function of the invention.
The known air filter is designed to, as already noted, minimize the amount and kind of or even prevent the impurities—such as dirt, dust, pebbles, or other particular contaminants—from entering the velocity stack and, thus, carburetor and engine during operation of the automobile. Otherwise, a quantity of the impurities may be sucked into the velocity stack sufficient to result in damage to or destruction of a component or components of the carburetor and/or engine or even a shutdown of functioning of the automobile. To this end, many air filters include a light, aluminum mesh screen.
However, the known air filter detracts from appearance of the velocity stack—especially if the velocity stack has been, say, highly chromed—and proper functioning of the velocity stack. In particular, the known air filter defines a high profile thereof and, thus, takes visible attention away from the velocity stack and/or requires a proportionately lower profile of the velocity stack such that the combination of the air filter and velocity stack can be properly fitted and functional under the hood of the automobile. The known air filter also operatively provides non-optimal airflow therethrough. In particular, structure of particular elements of the known air filter over which air flows is not designed to maximize efficiency—volume, speed, and/or direction—of such flow. The known air filter operatively also requires a tool or tools to mount the air filter to the velocity stack such that greater time, money, and effort are necessary to assemble the air filter and velocity stack to each other. The known air filter operatively requires also periodic oiling thereof such that greater time, money, and effort are necessary to maintain it. The known air filter operatively also is flimsy and, thus, creates more vibration and, in turn, noise thereof. The known air filter operatively is also corrosive and, thus, lasts a shorter period of time.
Thus, there is a need for an air filter that is adapted to be used with a velocity stack of a carburetor of an internal-combustion engine of an automobile. There is a need for such an air filter that does not detract from appearance and proper functioning of the velocity stack. There is a need for such an air filter that also operatively provides optimal airflow therethrough. There is a need for such an air filter that operatively also does not require any tools to mount the air filter to the velocity stack. There is a need for such an air filter that operatively does not require also periodic oiling thereof. There is a need for such an air filter that operatively also is not flimsy. There is a need for such an air filter that operatively is not also corrosive.